New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-29
A HARD BATTLE WITH FIRE.
BRILLIANT FLAMES IN CANAL STREET.
BIG BUILDING BURNED OUT. CAUSING LOSS OF
NEARLY S3OOOOO

BIG BUILDING BURNED OUT. CAUSING LOSS OF
NEARLY $30O.00O
Engineer Schaeffer, who has charge OF the ma
chfnery in the big building at the northeast cor
ncr OF Canal and Baxter SITS. was giving the inish
ing touches to the boilers in the cellar prepare
tory to going homo for the night, when at q few
minutes before o'clock the liahts In the cellar
were dimmed by smoke that came from the rear
part of the building and after opening the valves
so that tho steam in the boiler would escape he
rushed In half sufocated condition to the street
An alarm was sent out at once, and In less than
three minutes Assistant Chief McGill arrived at
tho place. Smoke was then pouring from the
cellar. and knowing that there was plenty Of
work on hand from the nature Of the structure,
McGll sent out third alarm before the engines
which had arrived had time to stretch their hose.
A popularity of the fire at the beginning was
the dense smoke 1t filed the streets, and even
"a far as Broadway the street lights were invisi-
BILE at o distance Of few feet and 1t was utterly
impossible to breathe the air.
The building was of brick. six stories high,
and htd frontage in Canalst. OF 100 feet, run.
ming from No. o21 to 227 inclusive, and extending
in BaxterFt sixty feet There was o cellar
about ten feet deep under the whole structure,
divided every twenty-five feet by partitions Of
wood The corner store, No. eel, and the second
story, were occupied by j. Strol<eim Co.. up
holsterers and curtain makers. John Moore & Co.
furniture had No. 023. and sold a considerable
quantity Of stock yesterday at auctions the New.
York Furniture Company occupied No. 225, and
No. 227 was used by the Archer Manufacturing
Company, furniture dealers. ID. w. OdOrne manu-
factured umbrellas piano covers and neckties
on the third floor, and w. II. Jarvis q real estate
dealer had an Office with this firm. The thrcs
upper stories were used by Hcrdlinc Schlatter.
manufacturer of dresses and cloak trimmings
Chief Shay came with the third alarm and sent
out six special calls for engines and for an extra
fire tower. Only one tower was got ready, and
this was put up In Baxter-st waiting for the
signal to turn on the water Then began grand
struggle between the fremcn and the fire for the
mastery. Such fight has not been seen in thi
city for many years. Openings were made through
the iron and glass work on the sidewalk into th
cellar, the windows broken on the ground
floor. and the water was directed as to kecI
the fire in the cellar II possible. In the rear o!
the building on the Baxterst side was stain
way and elevator shaft Firemen were stationed
on the stairs and several streams were poured int
the cellar to keep the fire from reaching thu
shaft and spreading to the top Of the building
For one hour the water from fifteen engines WA
poured into the building, and up TO this tim<
there was no appearance Of fame. The smoke
was thick and heavy and there was not wind
enough to carry it away. All the windows wer
cl osed in the upper part Of the building, and il
was not deemed best 10 break them
as it would make draught
The fight was made first at the corner OF tho
building in Canalst to get into the cellar. Enough
water, it seemed, poured in at this point TO-
float away the structure and finally the smoke died
away. ladder was put through a doorway and
Chief Shay went into the cellar with a lantern.
assS Ss to
gasping for breath and the tears streaming down
his checks He had got glimpse OF the inside.
cellar where the fire seemed to be. The smoke di-
minished little and two ladders were put into tho
McGili went down into the furnacs. The only
fame visible was In the rear of the cellar; and
when the men came. Chief Shay ordered
II was perilous place for human being to co. but
not fireman hesitated for second Down iuto
the smoking pit they ran the hose where 1t did noe
seem possible to live. and the engines groaned with
tho work required OF them and shook the ground
with their vibrations. The smoke that poured from
the cellars became blacker and fears were felt for
the men who were below. Their names were called
at short intervals by remen in the street and they
gasped q word to show that they were still alive
Every few moments the ladders would shake vic
lently and fireman who could no longer stand the
suffocatng smoke would rush to the sidewalk aud
fall fainting as soon as he got breath OF air. In
passed away, down into the cellar these brave men
would 20 and take the place of some of their c3m-
paniOns who would rush to the street for relief
il seemed several times as il the fire was under
control. 1t was only occasionally that flames
would appear about the cellar and the advance Sf
the flames upward was speedily checked py Well
directed streams OF water
The fire In the part of the building where il
could not be reache got hold Of some material t4ns
lungs could stand the fumes and the hremen all
hurried from the cellar aud many OF them fell
snrinkled water in their faces and assisted them to
a place of safety. The building was then doomed.
Chief Shay shook his head sadly when he saw that
ri men could no longer fight the fire and live.
Then there was an explosion In some part of tne
building as if q number of barrels had been blown
up and it was thought from the od0r that IL was
tnrpentine. In about three minutes after the hiot
sound little blaze appeared on the third floor. and
then followed grand display. From every VIM
dow In the structure long narrow bands OF lame
were thrown into the air. nearly reaching across
Baxter-st.
water and two firemen who had been on hre-es-
cape on the Baxter-st side when the flame bnrst
out slid down the ladders with the flames az
around them, But q stream OF water was played
upon them and they were kept from being roasted
aud got to the street IN safety. ln few moments
Upward TU a hundred feet and tipped the low over
hanging clouds with crimson while masses ois2arks
looking like like, huge gems went float
sang sasSds 'STsr Of SPECTATORS and Captain MscaassS:
men were kept busy keeping the crowd
Site I side of Canal-st. occupied by Oxley Mddings
& Enos gas filters, was threatened and the heat
was 40 intense that il cracked the glass the win
dows The efforts of the fremen were directed TO
save this building and the neighboring property
aud with success.
Good work was done in keeping the fire from the
buildings In Baxter-st., among which were a num-
ber of tenements occupied by Italians. who were
greatly excited The fire was finally under control
and the adjoining buildings were saved.
The building was owned by w. II. SchIaikhelsen,
left standing making loss Of $5O,OO0. Stroheim
& Co lose $lOO.O0Oj John Moore g. Co, $1,000;
New-YOrk Furniture Company, $io,0OO n Afcncf SlsM
and HerdIine e. Schlatter. 100000 All the lossss
are said to be partially covered by insurance.
THE DAMAGE AT BRONxDALE